The Studenti Demokristijani Maltin (SDM) expressed satisfaction at the fact that education was once again given pivotal importance in the budget for 2007.
“We fully agree with the government that education is the key to a stable future for our country,” said SDM spokesmen Glenn Fenech and Angelo Micallef in a press statement issued yesterday. “In our opinion, it was a highly positive decision for each and every student that the government expenditure on education has been increased by Lm12 million so that now the government will be spending Lm121 million on education.”
SDM pointed out that this sum is an absolute record, which clearly shows that the government has full faith in Maltese and Gozitan youth.
SDM also noted with great satisfaction the amount allocated to the University of Malta and MCAST, with a total expenditure of Lm4.3 million and Lm4.5 million respectively for infrastructural improvements.
The increase of Lm700,000 in the allocation to the University of Malta, which now has an allocation of Lm11.3 million, was another very encouraging sign for students, and is further proof of the government’s faith in Maltese youth.
“It was very encouraging to see that the government has allocated Lm200,000 for scholarships for the levels of Masters and Doctorate,” SDM added. “We also fully agree with the decision to offer maintenance grants to those full time students studying in institutions within the private sector as we believe that this increases the opportunity to study in these institutions.”
SDM noted also that even students within secondary and primary level education were targeted by this budget, as those parents who send their children to a private school shall be benefiting from a tax rebate, while church schools saw an increase in their allocation.
The Christian-Democratic Students’ organisation also expressed satisfaction at the allocation of Lm1.1 million for sport. This sector is becoming more important by the minute and an allocation like this should serve well to further encourage Maltese and Gozitan youth.